Oar and oar-lock.



J. LIRACZ.

OAR AND OAR LOCK. v APPLICATION FILED NOV. 19, 1912.

1,059,941 Patented A131222, 1913.

@9i/tumbas JOI-IN LIRACZ, 0F TRENTON, NEW JERSEY.

OAR AND OAR-LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 22, 1913.

Application filed November 19, 1912. Serial No. 732,265.

To all whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that I, Jol-IN LIRA-1oz, a citizen of the United States, residing at Trenton, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Oars and Oar-Locks, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to oars and oar locks for use in conjunction with a rowboat, and has for its object to produce a device of this class which will aord free movement of the blade and handle in both vertical and horizontal planes.

A further object of the invention is to provide an oar lock which will prevent longitudinal displacement of the oar.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an oar which will revolve freely within the oar lock to produce what is known as the feathering movement.

A still further object of the invention is to reinforce or strengthen the oar at the fulcrum point.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of the invention is better disclosed, and I desire it to be understood that changes may be made within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views,-Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of a boat with my improved oar and oar lock in position for use. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view showing my invention in transverse section. Fig. 3 is a. section through the partsv taken in a plane at right angles to the sections shown in Fig. 1 on a line centrally through the oar lock.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates a boat of any ordinary or preferred construction, and which is provided at desired points with bearing openings 2, one of which is shown in the present instance. Disposed within said bearing opening is a bearing bushing 3 in which turns the stem i of an oar lock 5, held from displacement by a cotter pin 6 or other suitable retaining device, allowing the oar lock to have rotation on its stem as a vertical axis in the usual way.

The forks 7 of the oar lock are provided with alined openings 8 receiving trunnion screws 9, the inner ends of which are threaded and enter threaded apertures in the opposite ends of a fulcrum block 10, which is thus fixed to turn with the trunnions in a vertical plane, as will be readily understood. It will also be understood that this construction adapts the fulcrum block to be readily applied for use and removed for repairs or replacement whenever occasion requires.

Ihe fulcrum block is provided with a 'transverse opening 11 through which eX- tends the reduced cylindrical shank 12 of a-n oar 13, which is provided with an annular shoulder or abutment 14 to engage the fulcrum block and hold the oar from inward sliding movement. The inner end of the shank 12 is ribbed or threaded as at 15, and fits within the socket 16 of a handle 17. In practice the handle may be retained in position upon the shank by glue 18, filling the intervening spaces in the socket formed by the ribs or threads between the shank and wall of the socket, or fastening means of any other preferred character may be employed for fiXedly or detachably securing the handle to the oar, as may be desired in practice. The inner end of the handle abuts against the fulcrum block and forms a stop shoulder coperating with the shoulder 14h From the foregoing description it will be readily understood that while the oar is free to move in all necessary directions, such as, for instance, parallel to the surface of the water with the blade in either its elevated or immersed position, a longitudinal movement of the oar is prevented owing to the formation of shoulders on either side of the fulcrum block 14. It will also be readily understood that the oar can be twisted or revolved within its fulcrum to bring the blade into vertical or oblique position for the stroke and recovery respectively, and when in its oblique position will move freely over the surface of the water to produce what is commonly called the feather-ing of the oars.

I claim An oar lock having its forked arm provided with bearing openings, a fulcrum block provided with a transverse passage, trunnion screws threaded into the ends of the block and having smooth surfaced portions forming journals rotatable in said l handle serving to hold the journaled portion bearing openings, an oar `provided with a ofthe shank against endwise movement. 10 shoulder bearing against one side of said In testimony whereof I aiX my signature block and With a reduced shank extending in presence of two Witnesses.

through and journaled for rotation with the JOHN LIRACZ. transverse opening thereof, and a handle Vitnesses:

applied to said shank and engaging the op- LoUIs Sano,

posite side of the block, said shoulder and ROLAND C. BILLINGIniM.`

opies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

